I feel like I haven't read a young adult contemporary in so long?? But I'm so glad to come back to the genre with this book, because it was so much fun to read! Though it's a contemporary, it reminded me a lot of the Song of the Lioness series by Tamora Pierce. You know it's gonna be good when a book reminds you of a favorite!

There are a lot of different aspects to this book. There is obviously the main plot line, that Kit would like to be a knight at the medieval restaurant where she works. Another somewhat side plot line is the fact that Kit and her brother need to work because their family is very poor. So there is a very real and raw discussion about what it's like to live in those circumstances. There's also all kinds of relationships! Family, sibling, friends, and romantic interests. It's really nice to see a book that's not just focused on the romantic relationship.

The main plot line! Down with stupid corporate policies that are ridiculously gendered and exclusive! This felt very timely and frustrating to read about. Frustrating in the sense that I know it happens in the real world and it's a problem. Kit knows she's just as good as any of the boys that are knights, but she's not allowed to be one simply because she's a girl. Even if other girls and non-binary folks didn't want to be knights, it's terrible that the company doesn't even give them that option. Which I love that one of the characters mentions this! It's an important point in a lot of arguments. It's not that all people want to do a certain thing, but all people should have the option at the very least.

I love how the group of friends works together to scheme on how to FORCE the company to listen to them. That was also frustrating to read though, since it's like, come on this should be common sense! But even in real life we're having to fight for things that should just be basic human rights. Bleh. So an important topic to tackle in this book! I keep saying that I feel like. But whatever you get the picture!

I will be honest - I grew up in a fortunate household so I can't speak to how accurate the depiction of Kit's family's money situation was. But it felt very real to me. The book discusses the electricity being shut of for days because of being unable to pay the bills, Kit taking napkins and tampons from restaurants because they can't afford them, and etc. This is so real for so many people, it's important to show that in a book.

There are so many core relationships to this book which is amazing! First, there is the romantic tension and development of the relationship between Kit and her best friend, Jett. It was cute, but kidna felt rushed and not explained well towards the end. Whatever! Still cute. I think I'm more forgiving since it wasn't that central to the story.

But we also have all of Kit familial relationships! Her sibling relationship with her brother Chris is so pure, and reminds me a lot of how my brother and I are. Super supportive of each other, but still get on each other's nerves haha. And I love that they worked at the same place.

There is also the terrible relationship they both have with their father - who is honestly a dirtbag and left them and their mother. I think it's great to show that family is important, but you don't have to keep them in your life if they are toxic people. In other words, family is important but not all blood is family, and not all family is blood. More complicated is their relationship with their uncle, since he's not a great person but he's also their manager at work! It shows how difficult it is to balance that in a workplace environment.

And then there's all of Kit's friends! I love that she and her other best friend were so supportive of each other. And I love that a big group of girls and non-binary folks came together to work on becoming knights, and became much better friends in the process.

In summary, a fun, important, timely book with a plethora of types of relationships that's a great contemporary read!

Such a fun book! The description of "Moxie" meets "A Knight's Tale" rings fairly true. The protagonist is a gal trying to hold things together while everything has been falling apart. I knew of some of the historical women she talks about, but it was fun to learn about a couple more. And it was relatable to see a protagonist that did make a mistake, but not something way obviously terrible, just something that a lot of people would do. Loved the queer rep, loved the fun of the knight shenanigans. All in all a fun read.

3.5 ⭐️

I was so excited to read this and while I enjoyed it I have to admit that there were just some parts I didn’t love.


But let’s start with what I liked:
The best part about this book is that it’s not only feminist but also really diverse. We’ve got trans, bi, non-binary, black, rich and poor characters and I just loved seeing that.

I also really appreciated Kit’s relationship with her older brother since many YA contemporaries just completely ignore siblings.

So we’ve got Kit’s fight for equality at her workplace, her friends, her brother and also normal teenager struggles like worrying about going off to college - you’d think that’s enough, right? I definitely would’ve thought so. However, there were several other subplots happening that all just felt very underdeveloped:

1) the romance. Kit has a crush on her best friend and I would’ve loved to see a cute friends to lovers romance but while I liked the love interest he really didn’t get enough time and their relationship just felt rushed and unnecessary.

2) Kit’s situation at home. Kit’s family is really poor and there’s tons of drama with her dad who’s a drug addict and who won’t divorce her mom - and all that just seemed to come out of nowhere? I would’ve appreciated a story about a family that struggles and that maybe can’t afford the college tuition for two kids - it’s definitely important to tell stories with main characters who don’t have everything handed to them but in this case I just thought that it didn’t add anything to the story and instead took away the focus of the story (gender equality). It also kinda felt exaggerated and hard to believe at times. One minute Kit goes on about how they can’t even afford to buy toilet paper or food most days and a couple chapters later her mom is talking about how she wants to safe up for a year so she can go on a trip to Asia. I’m sorry to break it to you but with two kids at college and debts you won’t be able to afford that anytime soon?!

And then what is beginning to become my biggest pet peeve in YA contemporary: the main character lied. All. The. Time. This is supposed to be a modern, feminist story and it really didn’t need such an outdated trope. Why can’t YA characters just tell the truth?!

I really loved the feminist message and the setting was fun (I quite enjoyed all of the geeky talk about the Middle Ages) but I think this book was trying to be too many things at the same time.

This book was such a delight. The title and cover piqued my interest immediately, and the synopsis had me certain I’d be cheering for Kit, which is exactly what happened.

As a history nerd, Kit Sweetly knows the history books have an unfortunate tendency of leaving out or overlooking badass women. As a teenage girl who works in a medieval-themed restaurant, she knows some people still have fairly medieval views when it comes to what women can and can’t do. Wanting to channel her inner Joan of Arc and become a knight like her brother, Kit is tired of being told only cis men can be knights, so she sets out to do something about it.

I loved Kit. She was feisty and smart and determined. She’d been knocked down by life - her family lived in poverty and her dad was an addict - but she refused to stay down, and I admired her tenacity. It’s not every day one gets the chance to do their part in challenging the patriarchy, and while I loved that aspect of the story and rooted for Kit and her friends, this book was about more than that. In every other way, Kit was a regular teen with normal ups and downs, and she felt real and relatable.

This is the second book I’ve read recently about teenage girls challenging patriarchal views and shaking up the status quo (the other one was Rules for Being a Girl by Katie Cotugno and Candace Bushnell). I wish there had been more books like this when I was a teen, but I’m so glad they’re being written now. I also truly appreciated the poverty representation - something that’s familiar in real life to many people, but rarely seen in books - and the diversity within Kit’s friend group. There’s also an adorable, swoony friends-to-more romance that had me grinning and squeeing.

The Life and (Medieval) Times of Kit Sweetly is a sparkling debut from Jamie Pacton. It strikes a perfect balance of fun romcom and heartwarming story about friendship, life, and overcoming obstacles.

Fiercely feminist and fantastically fun! I devoured this book so fast because it’s such a delight! Kit is smart, loves everything to do with the Medieval Ages, cares about her mom, brother Chris, and friends to an extreme, and enjoys working at the Castle but wants people of all genders (not just cis men) to be able to work as Knights.

I’m 100% a feminist and I adored this book! Sometimes feminism in books can overtake the plot, and while it was a major part of the book it didn’t take away from Kit’s character development, getting to see how loyal she is to her friends, how her bad ass friends are there for her right back, the adorable romance that blooms worth Jett, drama with her dead beat dad, and so much more. This book is packed with so much emotion, sword fights, and heart, and I had a blast reading it!

Kit Sweetly is a medieval history buff, a senior in high school, and a Wench at her local Castle (i.e. a server at a medieval themed restaurant). But she dreams of being a Knight and jousting like her brother, Chris. It's cool, it's fun, and it's a better paying job, which would help the family pay bills and college tuition, since Kit just got accepted to a dream college. But company policy is that only men can be Knights and her boss (also her uncle) is a company man. Kit takes Chris' place in a joust, beats the Green Knight, and then reveals that she's a girl- a stunt that almost gets her fired but also makes her an internet sensation. Along with her brother, fellow serving Wenches, and other Castle employees, Kit is determined to change the company culture, challenge gender restrictions, and save the day- if they don't get fired first!

I don't normally read books with a YA label, although I couldn't really tell you why. I just never really branched out that way. But when Jen DeLuca (Well Met) tweeted that she was Instagram chatting with Jamie Pacton on all things Ren Faire and mentioned the upcoming Life & (Medieval) Times of Kit Sweetly, I, of course, needed to know more. After reading the synopsis, I was hooked. And good news- the book is just as fun as you think it should be. Kit Sweetly is full of plans, energy, sass, and the desire for more out of life. Her dad walked out on the family a few years ago, taking his drug and alcohol addiction with him, but also taking all of their money including college funds. Now her mom works two jobs and her brother Chris works as a Knight in the Castle- a job he got by training with Kit. Kit wants to be a Knight too and refuses to accept company policy that only men can be Knights when she knows she's just as capable as any guy. Kit is known for her plans and when she makes a plan to show Corporate that the public wants equality in the Castle her BFF Layla, BFF/crush Jett, and other members of the Castle join in. It's a quest of friendship, discovery and empowerment, and if someone doesn't make a movie out of this book they should be slapped.

What I really loved in Kit Sweetly was how the emotions pour off the page without Pacton pushing anything too hard. You empathize with the characters every step of the way. You feel Kit's shame and determination as the family has to 'make do' when the power company turns off the electricity over the weekend and she doesn't want her friends to know. You want to shake her over her bad habit of putting off anything bad until later, because she doesn't know how to handle it alone. You share her disgust and fear when the trolls start bashing/threatening her cause. You want to cry for Kit when the inevitable happens and the group finds out they'll be fired if they go through with their plan and those friendships seem to be broken. And it's hardly a spoiler to say you'll be cheering as they triumph at the end.

Kit Sweetly is full of sweet moments, medieval trivia bits, and plenty of humor. Personal identity to Kit comes down to if you're a decent human being, not how you identify, and that if you work hard and stick together, maybe you can change things. And that's something everyone should huzzah about.

I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review

This book was ok. I enjoyed the plot but at some points I just felt like the book dragged on and I was SO bored. The only character we really got to know was Kit, and she was a horrible friend. I wasn’t even rooting for the main couple which says a lot.

Rating: 3.5 Stars

Kit's family have always struggled to get by, and now she hoped to go to college, which would require even more money. She loved working at the castle, but wanted to move into a role, where she could make more money. A role, such as that of a knight. Though she could competently perform the role, she would never be considered for the job, because of strict gender requirements at the Castle. This Girl Knight found the policy unfair, and was ready to fight for equality. Ready or not, Castle corporate, here she comes!

I will admit, the primary reason I wanted to read this book was the setting. A theme restaurant sounded like a place with so many possibilities, and I was not disappointed there. Pacton let us spend quite a bit of time in and around the Castle, even taking us behind the curtain, and I enjoyed it. She captured the energy and chaos, and really showed off the ups and downs "the business".

I also loved all the characters. There was the star, Kit, who was an immediate hit with me. She was amusing, and her love of history put her on the right side of nerdy (as far as I'm concerned). I actually enjoyed, when she would drop some historical knowledge on me, and found it quite interesting. I admired her passion, perseverance, and the way she took up the fight for equality. She never gave up, even when the cards were stacked against her.

Kit also recruited some fantastic members of her Castle family to help fight the good fight with her. This group was interesting and diverse, and each person brought something to the table. Some of my favorite parts of this book were when they were all on page together. I not only enjoyed watching them practice their fighting skills, but I liked their interactions in general. They were definitely the found-family type of friends, who were willing to go that extra mile for each other, and that is always the best sort of friend.

I am always down for an uprising to effect change, and don't we all want endless possibilities regardless of our gender identity? Though the book went a little darker than I anticipated, I really enjoyed the focus on family, friendship, and the fight for equality.

I really really wanted to like this book, but unfortunately it wasn't for me. If I had read it a few years ago, I would probably have loved this, but after years of YA contemporary this one fell a little bit flat for me. The story is cute but super predictable and overly dramatic and the characters are not well flashed out. I really loved the concept of the medieval restaurant and the smash the patriarchy vibe, but the random medieval facts scattered through the story just to show "Hey I know history" were a little too much for me, especially being Italian. We study the Middle Ages in primary school and we do not consider the knowledge that people did not wash themselves as a weird thing to know. Overall, if you don't know medieval history and you are new to contemporaries, this may be the book for you.

I received an advanced copy of The Life and (Medieval) Times of Kit Sweetly through NetGalley as a part of Jamie Pacton’s Street Team, so I could share my review with you!

Kit Sweetly is a serving wench, but she has dreams of being much more. Having worked at her local medieval-themed restaurant/entertainment center (called The Castle) for many years, Kit has never been able to fulfill her desire to perform as a knight. Due to sexist company policies, only cis-men can become knights, in order to keep the show “accurate.” Kit takes particular issue with this argument, given that history is full of fierce women who wouldn’t let the rule of their societies stop them from making changes. After a video of her secretly taking her brother’s place as a knight goes viral, Kit begins to see that there just might be a way to change the game, but she can’t do it alone. With the help of her brother and co-workers Kit will embark on the most glorious quest for social justice that The Castle has ever seen!

You can get your copy of The Life and (Medieval) Times of Kit Sweetly on May 5th from Page Street Kids!

The Life and (Medieval) Times of Kit Sweetly is an absolute triumph of young adult literature for equality. Jamie Pacton blew me away with her development of character and strength of narrative! I loved the relationships between all the characters, and the diversity represented by their own individuality. Knew I would love this book just from the premise, but Kit’s strength and tenacity made this a story I will not soon forget.

My Recommendation-
If you have been looking for a contemporary novel different from any other, The Life and (Medieval) Times of Kit Sweetly would be a fantastic choice! With a powerful narrative speaking towards gender equality and LGBTQ character representation, this book is easily one of my favorite modern stories I’ve ever read!

Kit is so fierce! Loved her and the plot line, right up there with “Moxie” and “ The Disreputable History of Frankie Landau-Banks”. The interspersing of historical tidbits was a nice addition. It would have been refreshing to have this story told without the romance, but it’s more a general qualm about YA literature anyways. Excellent gender identity representation without being on the nose. Overall pleasantly surprised by this and will definitely be adding to our collection.

This was such a fun read and I loved every second of it!

This book has it all: friendship, feminism, fandom, and fun! It was inclusive, it was real, and what more could you ask for?

I enjoyed reading about Kit and seeing her world come to life, and now I have the biggest urge to go to the Medieval Times dinner show! Kit goes through real problems (no, I’m not talking about wanting to become a knight) that are relatable for so many. I love being able to connect to the characters and Kit is such an easily-accessible protagonist.

That being said, there were some aspects that I think could have been sewn in better: the friends-to-lovers theme between Jett and Kit (although I love love) didn’t work for me in the end, Kit was kind of a crappy friend and yet she has more friends than me, and there were Game of Thrones spoilers! I mean, I’ve already seen it, and so has anyone who was on social media when the final season came out, but still.

Overall, this was a great book to escape into and I can’t wait for more by the author!

The Life and (Medieval) Times of Kit Sweetly by Jamie Pacton is a delightful story about Kit and her mission to shake up gender stereotypes. Kit works at The Castle, a medieval-themed restaurant that hosts jousting tournaments filled with knights, a royal court, and serving "wenches" like Kit. Corporate policy is that only men can be knights. But, Kit wants the job not only because she believes anyone should have the opportunity, but because being a knight also pays more. Money is incredibly tight at home and she's also trying to save for college. So, when Kit takes a chance and replaces her brother as a knight, other employees risk their jobs to help join Kit's quest to break down barriers.
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Jamie Pacton has filled this story with inclusivity and a diverse cast of characters, as well as a sweet budding romance between Kit and her best friend, Jett. Fun historical details and Lord of the Rings references are scattered throughout to highlight Kit's love of empowered female warriors. And, there is also an honest portrayal of financial hardships within families and difficult decisions as it pertains to college decisions for young people.
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Anyone who has been to a renaissance festival or watched the movie A Knight's Tale will surely have no trouble envisioning Kit as she fights with her friends to make real change. Kit is a champion worth cheering for in this fun, feminist story with plenty of levity, spirit, and heart.
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Favorite Line:
“What better way to smash the patriarchy than with a lance and sword?"
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Suggested Reading Age: Grades 9+

Thank you for an ARC in exchange for an honest review, first of all I really loved the concept and idea of this story but I sometimes felt like I wish it was an adult title instead of a YA. I felt like the idea of this book is a little mature for YA readers, even though it is present in our current day and age, I think girls of an older age would appreciate the idea more. But besides that, I really liked the book. I absolutely loved Kit. She has a big heart and loves list. I like thats she's very independent and tries to do what’s right for her, her friends and her loved ones and also for women in general. Kit fighting sexism at the restaurant she works at with her wits, her skills with the sword and on horse and with facts and infos about the Middle Ages.

One of the cutest and most funniest teen reads I've read in a while. I love the way the author incorporates this love of medieval history and historical concepts in such a fun and witty way. It's the perfect nerds read. Kit is a warrior of old and she's just as fearless as one of her favorite icons, Joan of Arc. Her struggle to go against the discrimination of women--albeit at medieval times like business, is something admirable. Pacton's writing is perfection and I had so much fun reading this book.

Oh, I fell in love with Kit Sweetly on page one, both the character and the book. It’s fun, heartwarming and it has swords, bad jokes and lots of references to Lord of the Rings while being feminist and having a diverse cast of characters. Long story short: this book was basically what my dreams are made of. Minus being a serving wench.

I absolutely loved Kit. She has a big heart and loves list. She has her life planned out but isn’t so sure about her plans anymore. She tries to do what’s right for her, her friends and her loved ones and also for women in general. She’s unapologetically herself, acts impulsively but always with a passion for what she’s doing and for the goals she wants to achieve. Kit has flaws and makes mistakes but she’s growing and learning and tries to help others. She’s fighting sexism at the restaurant she works at with her wits, her skills with the sword and on horse and with facts and infos about the Middle Ages.

Kit’s family was amazing to read about. Her father is a drug addict who left the family a few years ago, taking most of their money. Kit, her mother and her brother are doing everything they can to make do with what they have, working a lot while still never becoming bitter. They love each other unconditionally, they help each other out and they have such tight bonds. Especially Kit and Chris, her brother, are as tight as can be.

I also loved Kit’s friends, all of them being unique in their own way, having their strengths and showing their wants and needs differently. But they are a wonderful group. They’re having fun, they go up against the owners of their restaurant, but they also have lives and limits. One person I liked especially was Jett, one of Kit’s best friends and also the guy she has had a crush on for years. He’s so nice and sweet and helpful and I adored him a lot.

The atmosphere of the book somehow felt like being in A Knight’s Tale, a film quoted at several points throughout the book, but mixed with feminism and family problems. I had fun through the whole of the book and my history-nerd heart got some nice medieval facts and as I mentioned, LOTR quotes.

What can I say? You love swords? Read Kit Sweetly. You love Game of Thrones and Lord of the Rings? Read Kit Sweetly. You like feminism? Read Kit Sweetly. You want the cutest romance? Read Kit Sweetly. You like wonderful family relations? Read Kit Sweetly. Conclusion? Read The Life and (Medieval) Times of Kit Sweetly.

A woman standing up for her right to be a knight? Sign me up. This book had a great premise and a fairly good execution. I really liked that Kit was poor, a level of poor that I was as a kid. I feel like unless it's a dystopian novel, not a lot of main characters are poor. I loved that Kit could be extremely smart and driven while being poor. Being poor doesn't mean you're stupid, worthless, or that you don't deserve things. Kit proves all of those stereotypes wrong. Kit was a little dense when it came to dealing with her friends but I understand why she was. She was still a role model for anyone dealing with sexism or wanting to change things for the better. The main character of a novel doesn't have to be perfect in their approach to something to be a good role model or to bring light to an issue. No one is perfect but that doesn't mean what they fight for isn't worth as much. I wish the romance felt more natural but it felt forced to me and I didn't believe it. That's my big gripe with this book. Regardless, I think this is definitely worth your read.

*I received a complimentary copy of this book from Page Street Publishing through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.*

This book was everything I was promised : it’s cute, entertaining, adorable, epic and funny. You add a spoon of friendship, a best friend-to-lover trope, and a lovable group of friends and here you are! Recipe’s done.

We’re following young Kit Sweetly who works as a “wench” in a Medieval themed restaurant. Of course, she aspires to become greater and bigger. She aspires to be a Lady Knight.

I really liked this original set up for the story. It was unique and original, with a tone of great “medieval/nerd” references with Lord of the Rings and Game of Thrones.

I was really curious about this book because it presents with a feminist strong character. I was a bit disappointed by that because I think Kit is never going fully-feminist during her struggle with the only-male policy and the fight seems a bit to “white cis” for me. Don’t get me wrong, it has great stands and a lot of great spirit but something was missing to make me feel the intersectional feminism.

I was ready to fell for Jett but I feel like i just had a glimpse of him: I would have loved to see more of him and get to know him. Instead, Chris - Kit’s brother - distinguished himself but his supportive and easy-to-live-with spirit.

To conclude, I enjoyed the whole spirit of the book: you have to persevere and keep fight for what you want and what you think it’s right and sometimes, you have to take another direction when the way leads to a dead-end. Kit is brave and courageous, and for that I think she truly is a Knight.

This was a really fun ride-I feel like Kit and her friends were well-built characters and the story was gripping and realistic. This is a solid debut.

This book was SO adorable. I went in expecting a feminist book and got that BUT was also gifted with a beautiful story supporting the entire spectrum of genders, not just cis women. There were so many representations of gender, sexuality, etc without being fake or too much. It was all very natural and perfectly told. While there is romance- you are more focused on Kit and her mission to bring equality to a place she loves. We also get a beautifully told coming of age tale of figuring out what is important to you. Would recommend!